M4A to WMA Converter

Convert M4A to WMA Online

M4A audio (usually AAC, sometimes Apple Lossless) plays well on Apple and Android devices, but older Windows-only gear — Windows Media Player on legacy systems, Zune players, and many in-car head units — expects Windows Media Audio. This converter re-encodes your M4A to a standard WMA file so it loads on that hardware, with control over bitrate and quality so you can keep the result sounding clean.

One thing to set expectations: both M4A/AAC and standard WMA are lossy, so this is a lossy-to-lossy transcode. You convert for compatibility, not for better fidelity — keep the bitrate adequate (128 kbps or higher) and the difference is hard to hear. DRM-protected .m4p purchases from the old iTunes Store cannot be converted; plain .m4a files convert fine.

How to Convert M4A to WMA

1. Upload Your M4A File: Drag and drop your .m4a file onto the page, or click "Add Files" to browse. You can queue several at once.
2. Set Constant Bitrate (Optional): Open Advanced Options and pick a bitrate under "Constant Bitrate." 128 kbps is a safe match for most M4A sources; choose 192-256 kbps to give the lossy-to-lossy step extra headroom.
3. Adjust Audio Sample Rate or Trim (Optional): Leave "Audio Sample Rate" on ORIGINAL to keep the source rate, or cap it at 44100 Hz for older players. Use "Trim" if you only need part of the track.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your WMA. No sign-up, no watermark.

M4A vs WMA: What Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose audio quality converting M4A to WMA?

A little, yes. M4A is normally AAC (lossy) and standard WMA is also lossy, so the audio passes through two lossy stages and some detail is discarded that can't be recovered. You will not gain fidelity by converting — the point is playback compatibility with WMA-only hardware. Keeping the output at 128 kbps or higher (192-256 kbps if you have the source quality) keeps the loss inaudible to most listeners.

Why convert to WMA at all if it's lossy-to-lossy?

Compatibility. Some older Windows-only devices, in-dash car stereos, and legacy Windows Media Player setups read WMA but not M4A/AAC. WMA was Microsoft's answer to MP3 and shipped deeply integrated into Windows, so it remains the safe format for that kind of hardware. If your target device plays M4A or MP3, you don't need WMA — see M4A to MP3 for a more universal option.

Does this output standard WMA or WMA Lossless?

This converter produces a standard, lossy WMA file (the original WMA codec, also called WMA v1/v2). The WMA family also includes WMA Pro, WMA Voice, and a separate WMA Lossless profile, but those are distinct, mutually incompatible codecs. Standard WMA has the broadest device support, which is the whole reason to target this format.

Can I convert an iTunes Store M4P file to WMA?

No. Files with the .m4p extension are FairPlay DRM-protected purchases from the old iTunes Store, and the protection blocks re-encoding. Plain .m4a files — AAC rips, voice memos, exported audio — have no DRM and convert without issue.

What bitrate should I pick for the WMA output?

In our testing, matching the output bitrate to the M4A source gives the cleanest result: a 128 kbps AAC file converts well to 128 kbps WMA with no audible change for casual listening, podcasts, or audiobooks. If your M4A is higher quality (256 kbps or VBR), set the WMA to 192-256 kbps so the second lossy pass has room to work. Standard WMA tops out at 48 kHz stereo, so multichannel sources are downmixed to two channels.

How are my files handled after conversion?

Your M4A is uploaded over an encrypted connection, converted on our servers, and the files are deleted automatically a few hours after conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared or made public. Need the reverse direction later? WMA to M4A converts back, and Audio Cutter trims a clip without changing format.